“This exhibition celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of The Americans, Robert Frank’s influential suite of black-and-white photographs made on a cross-country road trip in 1955–56. Although Frank’s depiction of American life was criticized when the book was released in the U.S. in 1959, it soon became recognized as a masterpiece of street photography. Born in Switzerland in 1924, Frank is considered one of the great living masters of photography. The exhibition will feature all 83 photographs published in The Americans and will be the first time that this body of work is presented to a New York audience. In addition, the exhibition includes contact sheets that Frank used to create the book; earlier photographs made in Europe, Peru, and New York; a short film by the artist on his life; and his later re-use of iconic images from the series.”

Learn more about a special one-day lecture and panel discussion on October 4th HERE

Purchase tickets to an evening with Robert Frank on October 9th HERE (limited seating remains)

Purchase tickets to the Robert Frank film series beginning October 10th HERE

Musician PATTI SMITH will be performing at The Met in honor of her friend Robert Frank; this event is SOLD OUT but note the limited availability of standing-room tickets:

“I keep trying to figure out what it means to be American. When I look in myself I see Abyssinia, nineteenth-century France, but I can’t recognize what makes me American. I think about Robert Frank’s photographs—broke down jukeboxes in Gallup, New Mexico, swaying hips and spurs, ponytails and syphilitic cowpokes, hash slingers, the glowing black tarp of US 285 and the Hoboken stars and stripes.

I think about a red, white and blue rag
I wrap around my head.
Maybe it’s nothing material; maybe it’s just being free.

Freedom is a waterfall, is pacing linoleum till dawn,
the right to write the wrong words.
And I done plenty of that… notebook, April 1971

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
STANDING ROOM TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE BOX OFFICE BEGINNING ONE HOUR PRIOR TO THE CONCERT.

This event is presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Looking In: Robert Frank’s The Americans,” September 22, 2009–January 3, 2010.”